Ron Stetzer, PittsburghMember Since October 2011Artist Statement "A LONG AND WINDING ROAD" As a native Pittsburgher, I had the very good fortune to have had the late Joseph Fitzpatrick as a high school art instructor. "Mr. Fitz", a gentleman of no genteel or artistic equal, instilled in me a purpose and yearning to pursue the medium of water color. As sketching and drawing came to be second nature to me it was only natural that I established and nurtured a "comfort zone" of pencil and water color. Given the fact that I'm "at Home" outdoors, it's easy for me to fuse the woodland colors, earth tones and the explosion of the fall foliage colors into my paintings.

After high school, I enlisted in the Air Force as a "Propulsion Technsician" (grease monkey on jet engines) along with the occasional interruption to do artwork for squadron events and a smattering of little "stuff" for various shops.

Upon discharge from the Service, I attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh while also serving an internship at WQED-TV as a television graphic artist which led to a full-time position, responsible for the preparation of the "on air" visuals (charts, maps, graphs, scenery design and short story illustrations).

In this same time frame, I met and married Patricia, my beautiful "soul mate". Thirty-seven years and three wonderful children later, I'm convinced I must have done something really good in my life to have been so blessed.

Off to Portland, Maine for a short experience at the local commercial art agency ('nuf said). "Home again, home again" to Pittsburgh to a position as illustrator in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Art and Illustration Department, producing visual aids such as slides, charts and displays for medical feasibility studies.

US Air.... fortunately my Air Force training provided the required experience to become a mechanic in the various shops in the US Air system for a period of 25 years, retiring as of January 1999.

The road has straightened out and the wind is at my back! The creative juices are running amuck; and with my joining two of the local art leagues ( McMurray Art League and Artist Co-op of Washington, PA), I'm experiencing the freedom to express the gift that God gave me, hopefully touching everybody in a different way. I'm sincerely grateful for the patience and encouragement of my "mentor," Mary Kay Karolewics, an exceptional water color artist from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, who braves the elements to instruct water color classes here in the South Hills.

I admit to having a somewhat unique signature. Where one would normally sign his or her name, taking credit for the art, I choose to use the symbols of our Lord, ΑΩ, the Alpha and Omega. Having survived open-heart surgery twelve years ago as well as recent surgery, I have to believe someone wants me to stick around a while longer, thus I'm giving God the praise and glory for whatever I'm able to contribute in the way of visually pleasing most of the people some of the time.